Insofar as a vaginal speculum sealing element is concerned, the only relevant background art known to the applicant is the speculum and sealing element described and claimed in applicants' earlier International patent application No. PCT/AU00/00267.
Insofar as the manufacture of shaped thermoplastic foam articles in general is concerned, typical prior art processes include injection moulding of mixtures of polymer and expansion agents, extrusion of such mixtures, cutting or sculpting stock slabs or sheets of foam with sharp knives or heated elements, and roll-forming or press-forming previously warmed foam sheet or strip.